


We'll Meet Again

by ArtsyNeurotic



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, F/M, Retcon, Romance, Sad Ending, Season 3 Finale, Season Finale, Series Finale, Spoilers, ichabbie - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-06-02 07:30:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6557386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtsyNeurotic/pseuds/ArtsyNeurotic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rewrite of a couple important parts of the Season 3 finale, to make it at least more palatable and with more of an open ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We'll Meet Again

Spoilers from the end of Season 3!  
  
The Sleepy Hollow Season 3 Finale was terrible... but if we're to accept Abbie's departure, I felt this quick rewrite was important to get rid of some dialogue that was ridiculous (Abbie "carrying him forward") and completely omitting the nonsense about activating a new Witness with the same soul.  I wanted to at least leave the possibility of a happier ending down the road, but maintaining the events of the episode.  (And yes I know it's not actually "Leftenant", but I like typing it the way he says it, so...)  
  
If you'd like the full effect, be sure to listen to [THIS MUSIC ](https://ia601503.us.archive.org/1/items/AbbieAndCraneMaster/Abbie%20and%20Crane%20Master.mp3)looped while you read!

 

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He opened his eyes and found himself on Abbie's front porch, seated on the bench.  Abbie sat alongside him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Crane," she said softly, "I think we're almost out of time."

Her voice stirred him into sitting upright.

"This is not over yet, Leftenant."  He held her shoulders.  "We have come back from this before."

Abbie smiled, chuckling.  "We **have** been through a lot, haven't we?"  She stood up, pacing around.  "I mean, who else could say they've been to purgatory and back?"

Crane stood.  "Quite right!  We are the Witnesses; it is our duty to best evil and return triumphant--"

Her touch on his arm stopped his train of thought.

"Crane, I know what you're doing.  But this time... it feels different."

Ichabod frowned.  "Every time we have faced death has been different.  I refuse to allow this to be the death knell as we know it.  I refuse--"

"So much has happened, Crane.  I.." her brave face faltered for a moment, "I'm tired."

Fear crept into his.  "Leftenant... _Abbie_... you must not give up now."  His hands returned to her shoulders.  "We are a team, remember?  All too often have you taken the burden upon yourself, the sacrifice.  Time and time again..."  His voice shook.  "It is my fault.  I should have done more to share that burden with you."

Her eyes shimmered as she reached up to gently brush his stray hair from his eyes.  "That was my choice, Crane.  I did it for you, for Jenny.  For the _world_."  Her brilliant smile quivered but held firm.  " _My_ choice."

His heart sank.  His time was quickly slipping away.  Absolute helplessness ate away at him.  "Abbie, please... I-I never had the courage to tell you, but I...  I..."

Sadness worked its way into her features, but she pushed past it.  "I know, Crane, I know," she replied softly.

Her hand tenderly swept to his cheek, as they came closer.  A soft kiss.

It overwhelmed him, like a drink of water from a lifetime in the desert.

After a while they broke away slowly, Abbie chuckling lightly at Crane's reaction.  Her words were choked up, but she couldn't help but smile anyway.

"...My man."

He laughed back, his glistening eyes spilling tears as they embraced, in a familiar, deep hug.  He couldn't find the words, but he tightened his hold, unable and unwilling to let go.  He could feel her do the same.  An unbreakable link.

A whisper.

"Goodbye.... Ichabod."

He opened his eyes. 

All alone in an empty embrace.

 

\---

He blinked again and found himself lying on the ground, back in the tunnels, the cold concrete below him a stark contrast to the warmth of Abbie's cheek from just moments before.  He numbly heard the echo of Jenny's voice calling his name as his vision was lost to a blurry haze of tears.

 

******

The wind was particularly cold as it whipped across Crane's face.  He brushed back his errant bangs, and paused with a start, reminded of Abbie's touch from before.  Jaws clenched, he stared forward at the simple gravestone that lay in front of him, the gentle fragrance of the flowers in his tightened hand spread by the wind around him.  

Every step he took towards the gravestone felt that much heavier, until he couldn't go any further and fell to his knees.  His wet eyes scanned the stone slab, across her name, across the edges.  Shame tilted his head downwards.

His throat was so dry.  Empty of words, and yet he knew he had to say _something_.  After a long time, he found them.

"I failed you." He swallowed hard. "Abbie, I... " his eyes faltered as he looked down at his knees.

"Despite my bravado, my... my arrogance... you were _always_ the strongest of us both.  You were a true Witness.  Saving others, despite the danger to yourself.  Sacrificing yourself, when I..." his voice hitched, "when I should have found another way.  You said it yourself before, so many times."

His voice drifted off, remembering.  "' _There is **always** another way'_..."

"I cannot come to terms with this."  His cheeks crinkled lightly, in a rueful smile, "though I know you would insist I move on, that I be happy... you couldn't possibly mean that without _you_."

Crane lay the flowers tenderly by the base of the gravestone, his hand finding the edges.  He traced them up slowly to her name, his shaking fingers following her letters. 

"To give up now, would be unthinkable."  His brows knit with pain.  "You have taught me too well, Leftenant.  So... until the day comes when I've exhausted all options, " he took a deep breath, "or when I've breathed my last, I will _always_ search for a way back to you."

The corners of his lips quivered slightly. 

" _Always_."

It took everything in him to keep from loosing the torrent of anguish in his heart, but he held firm.  After how strong a front she had put up to be brave and true, he could do no less. 

"Until then, I shall endeavor to find myself employment, to continue supporting your... _our_ home... for the day I am able to welcome you back to it.  I most certainly shall be there to aid Miss Jenny, for I believe we will both need to draw upon the strength in each other to even _begin_ to move on."

Crane wiped a stray tear from his eyes, and drew himself up.  As he stood, he rested his hand upon the top of the gravestone one last time.  He made a loose fist, and pressed it against the stone.

"We **are** partners, Miss Grace Abigail Mills.  Our bond... is eternal."

A steady gust of wind picked up and whirled a line of leaves around himself and the gravestone, the breeze lifting up and fluttering through his hair.

He managed a smile, pushing through the ache in his heart.  A small smile, but determined, as his brows tightened in firm resolution.

"and I will find you again....

... in this world, or the next."

 

 


End file.
